


One Star

by DrakkHammer



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: AU Kili and Dis, Christmas Fluff, Family Feels, Gen, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 18:04:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5507567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrakkHammer/pseuds/DrakkHammer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This work is a gift for Linane because she loves the boys so much. It is an AU set in the <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/4764089"><strong>Slow Dancing in the Big City</strong></a> universe. </p><p>Kili is only six and still believes in Baby Jesus, Santa Claus and all things bright and beautiful.</p><p>Mo grá = my love, (moh-graw)<br/>Daidi na Nollag = Father Christmas/Santa Claus (dadee na nologh)<br/>piscín beag = little kitten (pish-keen behk)<br/>Pádraig = Patrick (pad-rig)</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Star

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Linane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linane/gifts).



 

It was Christmas Eve and Kili could barely contain his excitement. The priest had droned on far too long at mass, making the six-year-old squirm in the pew until his mother gently hushed him. It was long past midnight and he should have been asleep, but he was too excited about the holiday.

Mum slipped him a boiled sweet, already unwrapped, and laid a gentle kiss amid his dark curls. She sat back up and he quieted as the sweetness of the treat melted on his tongue. It was lime, his favorite, and he knew there would be more of them to be had if only the mass would end. He started to squirm but minded his mum and sat up straight again, concentrating on the taste in his mouth.

He loved Baby Jesus with all his heart, but that story had been told and the priest had moved on to more adult topics, losing Kili’s interest. How he would have loved to have been at the manger that night. He would have shared his sweets with the baby and sung to him. Mum said he had a good voice, like his Da.

He didn’t remember him, but Mum told stories about him and it was almost as good as remembering. Kili tucked the sweet into the corner of his mouth and whispered a little prayer for Jesus to watch over his Da. If anyone knew how important your da was, it would be Jesus.

It was quite late when mass was over and Kili walked home, clutching his mother’s hand. He didn’t really understand, but he knew that the streets weren’t safe after dark. But it was Christmas Eve and surely the bad people would be kind on this, of all nights.

Their building loomed dark and hunched in the poor lighting from the street, and some of the windows were lit with Christmas lights that blinked merrily. Kili focused on those, ignoring the trash along the curb and the cracks in the sidewalk. Poverty didn’t yet exist in his world. He still saw all things as being possible if you just prayed hard enough.

Dis watched him with loving eyes. She did her best to see the world as he did, but things were hard since the accident that took her husband. He’d been working under the table, so there was no insurance, just a small payout to keep her from lodging a complaint. She needed money for rent and food for Kili, so she took it, quietly accepting it as she had so many things. When you had nothing, you expected little and were grateful for anything, no matter how small.

When they reached their building, she released Kili’s hand, letting him skip up the door and race up the steps. It burned off some of the energy that burned so brightly within him. He was waiting at the door for her, nearly dancing in his eagerness to get in and see if _Daidi na Nollag_ had stopped by yet.

Dis laughed and shook her head. “You know he only comes after you are asleep, _mo grá_.”

Kili’s lower lip came out in a pout. “I thought maybe because mass was so long he would come.”

“It was long tonight. I expect Father Grady doesn’t see too many of his flock on any other day, so he wanted to make the best of it.” She smiled at Kili’s look of confusion that turned to laughter.

“But we go every Sunday, don’t we, Mum?” he asked cheerfully as he staightened an ornament on their little tree.

“Every Sunday,” she affirmed. In truth she was no longer certain that she believed, but she refused to share her doubts with her son. It gave them time together and Kili loved the church even if it was old and not as well supported as it had been when it was new. For him the world was still a bright shiny place and she prayed it always would be.

He peered under the tree in hopes of finding another sweet hiding there. Seeing nothing, he turned to be confronted with his mother’s hand that held out two sweets, a lime and a cherry one. He grinned and took them from her, impulsively wrapping his arms around her and hugging tightly.

“Thank you, Mum.” His voice was muffled by her skirt.

“You’re welcome, _mo piscín beag_ , but no more until tomorrow, or you won’t sleep and _Daidi na Nollag_ won’t be able to stop by.”

“Okay,” His reply was muffled by the cherry sweet already tucked into his mouth.

He let go of her as she walked over to a drawer and pulled out a large white candle. Placing it in a gold-colored holder, she handed it to Kili. He solemnly took it to the front window while she retrieved a box of matches from the kitchen.

As the youngest boy, it was traditional that Kili place and light the candle that would welcome Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus to their home. It signified that there was room for them in the hearts of the residents. Dis handed Kili the matches and watched as he carefully lit one and held it to the wick. It flickered and then caught, the flame rising straight and tall against the dark on the other side of the window.

He reached out and took her hand. Together they said a quiet prayer for those who have passed on and those in need of shelter. She looked at her beautiful boy with tears shining in her eyes. He looked so much like his father that at times it nearly broke her heart. But in him, Pádraig lived on. He would never truly be dead as long as his spirit flamed in Kili’s hazel eyes and echoed in the boy’s quick laughter.

He looked out past the candle. “Mum, the stars have come out. Do you think we can see it?”

“I think we might,” she replied as she gathered up their coats and a blanket from the chair. “Let’s go out on the fire escape and have a wee look.”

They had to climb out of the window, which was a rare adventure for Kili as he was not allowed to do it any other day. Once out, Dis wrapped a blanket around him to compensate for the thinness of his coat. She slid one around her own shoulders and they stood together looking at the sky.

Suddenly Kili found it. He pointed eagerly at the star that shimmered overhead. “There it is, Mum. There’s Baby Jesus’ star.”

“I see it,” Dis replied, smiling to herself. Some day he would know it as Polaris, the North Star, but for now it was the star that guided the Three Wise Men to the manger in Bethlehem so long ago. She had much in common with Mary, poor with no family to help and a beautiful child to raise so that he would become a fine man.

She stepped up behind Kili and spread her blanket over his shoulders as she held him close. He leaned back against her. She was the permanence in his life and he felt her love surround him, protecting him from evil.

“Do you think Da is up there…with the star, I mean?” He tilted his head back to look up at her, pressing his curls into his eyes. “I know the star belongs to Baby Jesus, but maybe there is a bit that is Da, too.”

She smiled and pulled him closer. “Yes, I think Da makes it shine extra bright. He’s telling you that he loves you and misses you.”

“I miss him too, Mum,” Kili said quietly.

After a few moments the chill started to nibble through the blankets. “We should go in now, _m_ _o grá_. It’s late and you’re getting cold.”

Kili snuggled back against her. “Just a bit more, please, Mum. I want to say goodnight to Baby Jesus and to Da.”

Kili looked up at the star and smiled. “Take care of my Da,” he whispered. “My mum misses him so much and so do I. Tell him we will see him one day and then he and I can play football. Maybe you and I can play football too. I think you’d like it. It’s a fun game.”

Dis’ tears shone like stars on her cheeks as she held her precious boy there in the cold clear night air. What fate had taken away, it had also given. Never was a child more beautiful or more loved...not even the Baby Jesus.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this story. I hope you check out Slow Dancing. Kili is no longer so naive but perhaps he's found his shining star. :)


End file.
